1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device for and method of upgrading information such as a program used by a controller in various types of systems. More particularly, it is directed to a technique for reducing a user""s burden during upgrading.
2. Description of the Background Art
While a built-in processor for a specific use has been conventionally mounted to a general television receiver for domestic use, for example, software of this processor is designed not to be upgradable. In contrast, a device for upgrading software may be included in some systems such as a set-top box for receiving digital broadcasting. Further, software can be upgraded through communication using a modem for accounting system and a personal computer (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-198571 (1998), for example).
However, setup of the above-mentioned upgrading device in the background art has been required to make communication facility available, requiring a user to have knowledge about such setup. Due to this, the upgrading device in the background art has the problem in convenience and simplicity.
Further, if the communication or power supply is disconnected after start-up of upgrading and before completion of the same in the upgrading device in the background art, original software may be destroyed. As a result, a necessity of reinstalling software arises to cause a problem that facilities intrinsic to the device are made unavailable.
This problem may be avoided by providing additional memory (such as flash memory) in advance for storing software to the upgrading device. More particularly, a large number of flash memories are provided in advance to the upgrading device. Software for upgrading is installed in a flash memory other than the memory in which the original software is stored. That is, the original software can be prevented from being destroyed as it is not overwritten. However, since this type of method requires a plurality of nonvolatile memories, another problem of increased cost of the upgrading device may arise.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to an upgrading device comprising: a controller; a first memory so provided as to be accessible from the controller; an intermediary, provided at an attachment part for holding a memory medium that stores information to be copied into the first memory, for connecting the memory medium and the controller when the memory medium is functionally connected to the intermediary; a cover, which is openable/closable, provided to the attachment part; and a first detector for detecting whether the cover is in open position or in closed position, wherein the controller obtains a detection result from the first detector and executes copying process of the information in the memory medium into the first memory on the basis of the detection result.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the upgrading device according to the first aspect further comprises a second memory for providing a work area for the controller, wherein, when the memory medium is functionally connected to the intermediary, the controller loads the information in the memory medium into the second memory before executing copying process.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the upgrading device according to the first or second aspect, the controller executes copying process when transition of the cover from the open position to the closed position occurs.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the upgrading device according to any one of the first to third aspects further comprises a second detector for detecting whether the memory medium is functionally connected or not to the intermediary, wherein, when the second detector detects that the memory medium is functionally connected to the intermediary, the controller executes copying process.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the upgrading device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects further comprises a state notification part for notifying an operating state of the upgrading device.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of upgrading for a system comprising a semiconductor memory and a cover, which is openable/closable, provided to an attachment part for holding a memory medium that stores information to be copied into the semiconductor memory. The method comprises the steps of: (a) detecting whether the cover is in open position or in closed position; and (b) executing copying process of the information in the memory medium into the semiconductor memory on the basis of a detection result obtained at the step (a).
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the first detector detects whether the cover is in open position or in closed position and the controller executes copying process of the information in the memory medium into the first memory on the basis of the detection result obtained from the first detector. Therefore, the upgrading device according to the first aspect enables copying process to be automatically executed triggered by the detection result obtained from the detection of opening/closing movement of the cover necessarily performed during attachment of the memory medium. For this reason, by merely attaching the memory medium, a user can easily upgrade information without deep background knowledge.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the controller loads the information in the memory medium into the second memory before executing copying process. Therefore, even when the information is not copied normally into the first memory, the information in the second memory is available to the controller. For this reason, the operations and processes of the controller may not be influenced.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the user is only required to execute a series of simple operations (that are necessarily performed during attachment of the memory medium) of moving the cover into open position, connecting the memory medium to the intermediary and moving the cover into closed position to realize upgrading of information easily. At this time, after the cover is moved into closed position, the necessity of further push of button can be avoided.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the environment allowing execution of copying process can be suitably detected. That is, when the memory medium is not correctly attached or the cover is moved between open position and closed position for withdrawing the memory medium, for example, copying process can be suspended.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the user can be notified of the operating state of the upgrading device through the state notification part. Therefore, the user can be encouraged to retry operation after being notified that the memory medium is not connected correctly, for example. Further, misoperations such as withdrawal of the memory medium during copying process can be avoided. That is, the convenience of the user can be improved.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, copying process requiring copying of the information in the memory medium into the semiconductor memory is executed on the basis of the detection result of whether the cover is in open position or in closed position. Therefore, the foregoing copying process can be automatically executed triggered by the detection result obtained from the detection of opening/closing movement of the cover necessarily performed during attachment of the memory medium. For this reason, by merely attaching the memory medium, the user can easily upgrade information without deep background knowledge.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an upgrading device and a method of upgrading capable of upgrading information in a memory without requiring a user to have deep background knowledge.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.